MOLETJIE: It’s a few hours after Caster Semenya’s glorious, golden Olympic run in far-away Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Here at her home village of Masehlong life continues as normal, as though the residents are unaware they have just been catapulted into international status.
Her parents’ home on the main road of the village looks deserted; her family no doubt still fast asleep, having been up to watch their daughter and sister collect Team South Africa’s 10th medal of the 2016 Games, just the second gold.
A block to the right of Semenya’s home, Caster’s great-aunt “Mma Lamola” – resplendent in her black-and-white uniform – is battling to find her way into the church.
“It’s locked,” she says, upon my asking if she needs help. “My child, can you please take me to go get the keys.”
The enquiry as to whether she watched Caster’s race is met with huge excitement: “Yes, she really made us proud. I think the reason the church is still closed is because people are still sleeping. They were up watching her race and everyone is very happy for her. I am Mma Lamola. Caster is my grandchild. Her father calls me aunt.”
The short drive to get the keys is interrupted by a herd of cattle crossing the road, the herdsman going about his morning duties of taking the animals to their grazing spot.
At the house where the church keys are kept, a young boy rushes to the gate – dressed to the nines and ready for Sunday school.
He’s only four years old, he says, but is aware of the momentous occasion from earlier in the morning. “I saw Caster run,” says the boy, whose name we find out is Shia. “She runs fast. She ran faster than all of them. But I just run slow.”
Slow. That is how things go here. While Caster sped to international acclaim a few years ago – and has just confirmed her status as the world’s best female 800m runner – Masehlong remains a sleepy village.
The road that leads to it off the R567 through Limpopo’s famed Knobel Hospital is still gravel and very bumpy.
Masehlong Primary School, where Caster started her running many years ago, doesn’t have even a proper soccer field and the basketball court is teeming with wild grass.
The villagers are hoping Caster’s success will help bring positive change. “They must fix our roads and make the tar roads,” Mma Lamola says.
At Mochidi Liquor Store and Restaurant about 500m from Caster’s house, 23-year-old Seja Kobo is helping prepare for the day’s business.
He woke up to watch his former schoolmate win gold.
“Of course I saw her. I’ve watched all her races and I’m very proud of her achievement. She’s always been a runner and I never doubted she would win gold. I believe now they will develop this place and build a stadium. We have some grounds here, but they are not very good and maybe Caster’s success will make them do something better.”
He says, because of Caster’s rise to international acclaim, local youngsters are beginning to take a liking to athletics – although soccer remains the favourite sport.
They were still going about their business as our reporting team left Masehlong, the few on the road clutching their Bibles en route to church, while others were pushing wheelbarrows towards the communal water pumps.
At Caster’s house, a few little girls could be seen playing outside, but nothing could tell an uninformed observer this was the home of a world champion who had just added Olympic gold to her accolades.
That, though, will all change when Caster returns from Rio. “l’m sure they are going to throw her a huge party. They have to,” Seja said earlier.